“Last year the Bob Barker was almost rammed and ­capsized by the Nisshin Maru and this time on one occasion the Steve Irwin was attacked completely ruthlessly by the Japanese. My bow was crossed on 46 occasions by three ­harpoon ships over a 10-hour attack ... what the Japanese were trying to do was disable our ship.

“But there’s a commitment to the whales that we have to keep up, and if that means ­taking on these risks we will.”

During the 95-day voyage south the Sea Shepherd fleet located the whaling fleet on four separate occasions, three times using a helicopter on board the Steve Irwin.

The organisation said that while it did not achieve a zero-kill outcome, it had prevented the deaths of 75 per cent of the Institute of ­Cetacean Research’s “self-­allocated quota”.

Mr Chakravarty described the actions of the Japanese this summer as illegal and pre­meditated, saying they had put the welfare of his 38-strong crew at risk on several occasions.

Managing director of Sea Shepherd Australia Jeff Hansen said after broken promises from both sides of politics during the past decade, only his organisation had the courage to take on the whalers and win.

Comments on this story

Hazel Howie of Kingston Posted at 1:23 AM March 25, 2014

I'm astounded by all the Australians on here defending the illegal killing of whales in Australia's internationally recognised whale sanctuary. Andrew Grubb, your lack of patriotic sentiment and compassion is only eclipsed by your narrow-minded ignorance. Whale Wars is NOT a Sea Shepherd production. SS do NOT benefit from the airing of this show. Whale Wars is owned by Animal Planet.
Why any Australian would defend this barbaric and completely unnecessary slaughter is beyond me. Surely, Andrew Grubb (and others) you have noticed the increase in the number of whale sightings off Australia's coasts. This is entirely thanks to the efforts of SS. I suggest you go and spout your anti SS vitriol to the hundreds (if not thousands) of people making a living from the whale watching industries here in Australia and see what kind of reception you get. I have to wonder about people who denigrate others who are selflessly defending those who are unable to defend themselves. Is it because they make you feel inadequate in respect to your own contributions to the planet's sentient beings?

Andrew Grubb of Hobart Posted at 2:45 PM March 24, 2014

Mike Stone, I don't recall saying the Japanese owned the southern ocean, rather silly question actuall as is your comparison. We do NOT own the southern ocean no matter how much bleating there is about it! The Japanese in my view would have stopped whaling some time ago, they will not lose face to SS. IMO SS knows this and doesn't really want an end to this whaling as they would lose out on there revenue source from "whale wars" the tv show!!!

William Harris of Sandy Bay Posted at 8:48 AM March 24, 2014

Mike(18): Just to clarify, commercial whaling was banned by the IWC when it created the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary under an international treaty. The treaty allows scientific whaling - which Japan claims that it is conducting - and also allows the flesh not to be wasted, which Japan sells in its markets. Only when the IWC bans either scientific whaling or the selling of the flesh will whaling come to a legal close. Japan has stated that if this happens, it will go outside of the treaty. Japan, on this matter, is a rogue state.